diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/upgrade.php b/wp-admin/includes/upgrade.php
index b49cd6914c..000c2a9707 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/upgrade.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/upgrade.php
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ function wp_install( $blog_title, $user_name, $user_email, $public, $deprecated
 		$random_password = wp_generate_password();
 		$message = __('<strong><em>Note that password</em></strong> carefully! It is a <em>random</em> password that was generated just for you.');
 		$user_id = wp_create_user($user_name, $random_password, $user_email);
-		update_usermeta($user_id, 'default_password_nag', true);
+		update_user_option($user_id, 'default_password_nag', true, true);
 	} else {
 		$random_password = '';
 		$message =  __('User already exists.  Password inherited.');
diff --git a/wp-admin/includes/user.php b/wp-admin/includes/user.php
index f99cdfe8a2..51b29e2669 100644
--- a/wp-admin/includes/user.php
+++ b/wp-admin/includes/user.php
@@ -807,34 +807,33 @@ endif;
 add_action('admin_init', 'default_password_nag_handler');
 function default_password_nag_handler($errors = false) {
 	global $user_ID;
-	if ( ! get_usermeta($user_ID, 'default_password_nag') ) //Short circuit it.
+	if ( ! get_user_option('default_password_nag') ) //Short circuit it.
 		return;
 
 	//get_user_setting = JS saved UI setting. else no-js-falback code.
 	if ( 'hide' == get_user_setting('default_password_nag') || isset($_GET['default_password_nag']) && '0' == $_GET['default_password_nag'] ) {
 		delete_user_setting('default_password_nag');
-		update_usermeta($user_ID, 'default_password_nag', false);
+		update_user_option($user_ID, 'default_password_nag', false, true);
 	}
 }
 
 add_action('profile_update', 'default_password_nag_edit_user', 10, 2);
 function default_password_nag_edit_user($user_ID, $old_data) {
 	global $user_ID;
-	if ( ! get_usermeta($user_ID, 'default_password_nag') ) //Short circuit it.
+	if ( ! get_user_option('default_password_nag') ) //Short circuit it.
 		return;
 
 	$new_data = get_userdata($user_ID);
 
 	if ( $new_data->user_pass != $old_data->user_pass ) { //Remove the nag if the password has been changed.
 		delete_user_setting('default_password_nag');
-		update_usermeta($user_ID, 'default_password_nag', false);
+		update_user_option($user_ID, 'default_password_nag', false, true);
 	}
 }
 
 add_action('admin_notices', 'default_password_nag');
 function default_password_nag() {
-	global $user_ID;
-	if ( ! get_usermeta($user_ID, 'default_password_nag') )
+	if ( ! get_user_option('default_password_nag') ) //Short circuit it.
 		return;
 
 	echo '<div class="error default-password-nag"><p>';
diff --git a/wp-login.php b/wp-login.php
index 7d215929bd..2beabd0c17 100644
--- a/wp-login.php
+++ b/wp-login.php
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ function reset_password($key, $login) {
 	do_action('password_reset', $user, $new_pass);
 
 	wp_set_password($new_pass, $user->ID);
-	update_usermeta($user->ID, 'default_password_nag', true); //Set up the Password change nag.
+	update_user_option($user_ID, 'default_password_nag', true, true); //Set up the Password change nag.
 	$message  = sprintf(__('Username: %s'), $user->user_login) . "\r\n";
 	$message .= sprintf(__('Password: %s'), $new_pass) . "\r\n";
 	$message .= site_url('wp-login.php', 'login') . "\r\n";